The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Esther 2:12-13, “Now when the turn of each young lady came

to go in to King Ahasuerus, after the end of her twelve months

under the regulations for the women– for the days of their

beautification were completed as follows: six months with oil of

myrrh and six months with spices and the cosmetics for women–

13 the young lady would go in to the king in this way: anything that

she desired was given her to take with her from the harem to the

king’s palace.”

If you’ve not read the Book of Esther for some time, you would

do well to do so. A quick background here will be helpful. Vashti

was King Ahasuerus’ queen. She disobeyed an order and was

deposed (kicked out!). Esther, a young Jewish girl was one of

many, who was being prepared for the king’s choosing to replace

Vashti. Our verse above tells how the girls were prepared and

how long that preparation took.

The principle I see here is: no matter how externally beautiful

one is “of form and face” (v. 7), it is not sufficient for the king.

If that be true regarding an earthly king, how much truer it is

that we must all be internally beautiful for our Heavenly Father!

I shall never forget a woman I once met in Australia. Seriously,

she was externally the most repulsive woman I believe I’ve ever

seen. It was difficult to look at her while she spoke to me. But

when I learned about her prayer life and how she prayed so

often and at all hours, so that her husband had built her a

sound-proofed prayer room, I saw her internal beauty. All of

you girls, who are receiving this, are beautiful to me. Yet what

matters is that you are internally beautiful to our loving LORD

Jesus Christ. And you fellows, who will someday be seeking

a wife, remember that her internal beauty is of far greater

worth than her external. Still, there’s nothing wrong is seeking

both! ??

We love and pray for you always,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God,

a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing

the word of truth.”

It’s that time of the year when school starts. So, it seemed

appropriate to cite the verse above. I’m not sure that I

ever hated study. I do know that I hated some subjects,

but never study as a whole. The Greek word that is translated

“study” means “to exert one’s self, give do diligence” to what

your work is. Why should we do that? We should because

God has given us the ability to do so and we are to use the

Intelligence He has given us to bring glory to Him. Yes, we

All have different aptitudes. Just develop those aptitudes

the best you can. The LORD will be honored, and you will

be blessed.

Our love and prayers always,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Psalm 138:7-8, “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, Thou wilt revive me;

Thou wilt stretch forth Thy hand against the wrath of my enemies,

And Thy right hand will save me.

8 The LORD will accomplish what concerns me; Thy lovingkindness,

O LORD, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Thy hands.”

The utter confidence of the Psalmist is undeniable. He does not attempt

to understand his trouble or complain about it. He simply turns it over

to the LORD, in Whom he has confidence. He just tells the LORD what

he believes: “Thy right hand will save me. The LORD will accomplish

what concerns me.” It is not necessary to spell out his difficulties. He

knows the LORD knows what they are, and He will attend to them with

His all-sufficient power.

We do spend a lot of time and energy worrying about things, don’t we?

We need not do it, because He is going to work them to our good in

His own way and time. Nehemiah said, “…our God turned the curse

Into a blessing” (Neh. 13:2b). He still does things like that today.

Trust and obey; for there’s no other way

To be happy in Jesus; but to trust and obey.

Our love and prayers follow you day-by-day,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Nehemiah 8:5, 8, 10, “And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people

for he was standing above all the people; and when he opened it, all the people

stood up…. “And they read from the book, from the law of God, translating to

give the sense so that they understood the reading…. “’…Do not be grieved,

for the joy of the LORD is your strength.’”

As Nehemiah and the people were rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem, they

discovered the Book of the Law. The reverence they had for the LORD’s

Word is evidenced by their spontaneous standing when the Book was

Opened. Nehemiah then read from the Book and the people understood

the meaning and began repenting of their sin, their failure to have lived

according to the LORD’s direction. They wept openly and profusely!

Then Nehemiah said, “Do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your

strength.

Sin crushes joy. People often laugh while they are sinning, but it is a

hollow, empty laughter. It is the attempt to make themselves feel

good when they really feel empty and ashamed. A cadet asked me

only last night, “How do we know the difference between right and

wrong?” It was a honest question. My answer was that there is an

unique thing called conscience, which we all have that directs us.

But there is more to be said. The Bible is God’s directive to us just

as it was to the people in Nehemiah’s day. Further, when we come

to know Jesus as our Savior, the Holy Spirit enters our lives; and it

is He who strengthens our conscience and reveals what is right and

what is wrong in every situation.

To be joyful, we must read God’s instructions, and repent before Him

for the sin in our lives. Then the “joy of the LORD (becomes) our

strength.” The secret of joy is the secret of success.

We love and pray for you daily,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”

Dear Grands,

Nehemiah 2:1-5, “And it came about in the month Nisan, in the twentieth

year of King Artaxerxes, that wine was before him, and I took up the wine

and gave it to the king. Now I had not been sad in his presence.

2 So the king said to me, ‘Why is your face sad though you are not sick?

This is nothing but sadness of heart.’ Then I was very much afraid.

3 And I said to the king, ‘Let the king live forever. Why should my face not

be sad when the city, the place of my fathers’ tombs, lies desolate and its

gates have been consumed by fire?’”

We tend to overlook the native abilities of Old Testament people. Nehemiah

had long served the king. He conducted his duties properly; only his face

appeared sad to the king. The king’s analysis of the situation was “on target.”

Nehemiah had something on his mind –something he could not conceal from

the notice of the king.

Sometimes today, we cannot discern what is bothering someone, but we

can see from their facial expressions that something is. Still, even when

the king ultimate permitted Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem and re-build

the wall of the city, problems plagued him. He had opposition from local

people; he had opposition from his own people. He was unsuccessfully

seduced by the local, who played the “good cop, bad cop” game. They

threatened his life, and when that didn’t work, they bribed an infirmed

old man to lure him into the Temple, which would have given the

impression that he was afraid. Oh, Nehemiah had problems all right!

But he never allowed them to hinder him from his main purpose.

Let me challenge you to read the Book of Nehemiah. It has only 13 chapters,

and they are filled with intrigue, wisdom, determination, and prayerfulness.

Winston Churchill most famous speech may have been his shortest. He

arose from his seat and said, “Never give up! Never! Never! Never!” And

he sat down. Churchill did an immense amount of reading. Who knows

but that he might have read Nehemiah and become inspired to forge on?

Love and prayers, always,

Nana & Dado III

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”